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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27096598">favourites</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gigglesandfreckles/pseuds/gigglesandfreckles'>gigglesandfreckles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(not really but basically), Anakin Skywalker Needs a Hug, Flashbacks (sort of), Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Obi-Wan Says FUCK the Council, pre-ROTS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-09 03:55:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,742</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27096598</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gigglesandfreckles/pseuds/gigglesandfreckles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Obi-Wan has been tasked with telling Anakin of his special assignment to keep an eye on the Chancellor, but he gets sappy and sentimental in the process because these conversations are hard.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Obi-Wan Kenobi &amp; Anakin Skywalker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>196</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>favourites</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this is slightly before ROTS. in my head, the decision for Anakin to spy on Palpy was made prior to him being place on the council. I can't imagine Obi-Wan relished the idea of breaking the news to Anakin, so this is one of what I believe to have been many of his attempts.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Don’t ask me to do this.”</p><p>“Obi-Wan. You’re letting your personal--”</p><p>“Everything about this is personal!” bristled Obi-Wan. “You’re asking me to…” he seethed. “<em>My padawan</em>.”</p><p>“Your <em> former </em> padawan,” Mace reminded him.</p><p>Obi-Wan scoffed darkly. “As if that makes any difference. You <em> know </em> it doesn’t, Mace. When Depa--”</p><p>“<em>Tread lightly, </em>Obi-Wan.”</p><p>This brought Obi-Wan back to the ground. He took a deep breath, running a hand through the hair that had fallen into his eyes. “I apologise. That...that was out of line.”</p><p>Mace gave a small nod. Apology accepted. “I understand this is difficult for you.” He leaned forward in his seat. “But surely you <em> must </em> see how dire the situation is. Everyone has their part to play.”</p><p>Obi-Wan closed his eyes. “Must mine be telling Anakin the thing that will most hurt him?”</p><p>“Skywalker’s allegiance is to the Republic, as yours is. If he is following the Code as he should be, it will not shake him.”</p><p>That was an ignorant statement to make, but Obi-Wan held his tongue. Mace <em> knew </em> he was pressing on a nerve, but Mace also <em> knew </em> how serious the situation had gotten with the Chancellor. Obi-Wan did, too.</p><p>But telling Anakin he was being ordered to spy on the Chancellor felt like it would be the final blow in the dance Obi-Wan had been doing with death for far too long in this bloody war. It would take everything from him.</p><p>“I simply wish to restate my insistence that we have not exhausted all other options,” Obi-Wan said as calmly as he could muster. “I believe we should continue to discuss and discern how the Force wishes us to proceed.”</p><p>“Discuss, we have,” Yoda spoke for the first time since the meeting had started. It was uncharacteristic of the small Jedi, but his silence during this Council meeting had been as powerful as his words during normal sessions. “Meditated and thought much on this, the Council has. Time to move forward, it is. Step up, young Skywalker must.”</p><p>Yoda had spoken, which meant the decision was made.</p><p>Obi-Wan nodded tightly. “I understand.” He stood from his seat and moved toward the door as quickly as decorum would allow him. He had to get <em> out </em> of there.</p><p>“Obi-Wan,” Mace’s voice stopped him at the door. “We wish there <em> was </em> another option.” He spoke softly and communicated the apologies that weren’t allowed to be voiced.</p><p>…</p><p>If he was going to have this conversation, he may as well get it over with. Truth be told, he’d been pushing it off for too long as it was, in the hopes that the council would change their minds. Or at least ask <em> anyone but him</em>.</p><p>“Anakin?”</p><p>The room was pitch dark. He’d knocked several times, but ultimately decided to let himself in when Anakin hadn’t admitted him. The room had been his long before it had been Anakin’s and the younger Jedi had never bothered to change the keypad combination.</p><p>As the door slid shut behind Obi-Wan, he squinted, adjusting to the dark. The room felt colder than he remembered and it was <em> certainly </em> cleaner than he remembered. There hadn’t been a single time Obi-Wan hadn’t stepped on a spare droid part or tripped over a tool when he’d shared the quarters with Anakin.</p><p>Now, the room felt empty. Lifeless.</p><p>“Anakin?” he repeated, his feet expertly carrying him to the room on the right. The door was shut, meaning the Jedi was likely inside, but no light spilled out from the small slit at the bottom of the door. </p><p>Obi-Wan waved a hand in front of it with a frown, watching the metal slide open to reveal his former padawan. Asleep.</p><p>“Anakin,” he said, much softer this time.</p><p>The younger Jedi twitched on the bed, but didn’t wake. Obi-Wan’s eyes softened as he took in the sleeping form of his friend. It appeared that he’d unintentionally passed out on the bed. His legs hung awkwardly off the end, dirty boots still on his feet. He hadn’t even bothered to take off his robe; it was twisted around his body in a web of cloth.</p><p>How many times had Obi-Wan stood in this very room, trying to rouse his padawan over the years?</p><p>“Anakin, wake up.” He gently shook the younger man’s shoulder.</p><p>Slowly, Anakin’s eyes fluttered open and Obi-Wan’s throat tightened. </p><p>It was overwhelming sometimes, the affection he felt for this man. After everything they’d been through together over the past <em> thirteen years </em>, it was still impossible for Obi-Wan to differentiate the blue eyes of the small boy from Tatooine that had been thrusted upon him by his own master and the strong Jedi he had now become.</p><p>He was so <em> proud </em> of him.</p><p>“Master?” Anakin slurred in confusion, rubbing at his eyes.</p><p>Obi-Wan felt a prickling behind his eyes. It was ridiculous, of <em> course</em>. Jedi often called their former teachers ‘Master’ as both a force of habit and term of respect. But in the throws of battle and chaos the two of them so often found themselves in, he’d grown accustomed to seeing Anakin as an equal, a brother.</p><p>It was the quiet in-between moments and off-guard comments that Obi-Wan was reminded of how it hadn’t always been that way. First and foremost, Anakin had been a <em> child</em>, entrusted to him to <em> raise. </em>As Anakin blinked back the sleep from his eyes, Obi-Wan could only see the nine-year-old boy who had everything to learn.</p><p>
  <em> How could the council ask this of him? </em>
</p><p>“How did you--what are you…” Anakin rubbed at his eyes. “Did I miss a meeting?”</p><p>“No,” Obi-Wan shook his head, reigning in the wave of emotion that had suddenly overcome him. “I just stopped by.”</p><p>Anakin looked surprised at this, but also relieved to hear he hadn’t shirked any responsibility. His eyes fell closed again. “What’s up?” he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.</p><p>Obi-Wan hesitated, unsure how to begin a conversation of this magnitude. Certainly not with Anakin half-asleep.</p><p>“Just checking in,” he said, keeping his voice even.</p><p>Anakin opened an eye and frowned. “I’m fine, Obi-Wan.” He rolled over toward the wall.</p><p>“Well, it’s 14:00 and you’re sound asleep, so you can see how I might have been misled.”</p><p>“I was just resting. Is that against the Code now, too?”</p><p>Obi-Wan flinched at the venom in Anakin’s words. He took a deep breath. </p><p>“I thought we could go for a walk.”</p><p>Anakin’s body tensed at this and he didn’t immediately respond. For a moment, Obi-Wan wondered if he actually intended on going back to sleep. Then, finally, “A walk?”</p><p>“It’s a nice day and we’re so rarely both on leave at the same time.”</p><p>Obi-Wan hoped his voice sounded warm and genuine.</p><p>“I…” Anakin rolled over, his eyes open but staring suspiciously at Obi-Wan. “I have a briefing this afternoon.”</p><p>It wasn’t a complete refusal.</p><p>“Well, I don’t imagine we’ll be walking for hours.” Obi-Wan held his ground.</p><p>“All right,” agreed Anakin, pushing himself into a sitting position. “But only for a bit. I have things to do.”</p><p>Obi-Wan nodded, his stomach already clenching in dread. A part of him almost wished Anakin would refuse his offer to join him. Then, he’d be able to report to the council that he’d <em> tried</em>, thank you very much, but Anakin simply hadn’t been receptive. Someone <em>else</em> could kriffing well do it.</p><p>Anakin stood from the bed and looked down at his rumpled clothes with a frown. He shifted his belt around and tried to straighten a particularly large crease along his tunic, but ultimately shrugged at himself and looked to Obi-Wan.</p><p>Obi-Wan felt a pang at the expression. He was immediately transported years back, to the countless times he had stood in this doorway huffing impatiently as Anakin sorted through a pile of clothes of questionable-cleanliness. “We were supposed to leave fifteen minutes ago, Anakin,” Obi-Wan would say. “Time’s an illusion, Master.” Anakin would cheekily respond, bumping Obi-Wan as he moved out the door.</p><p>This time, Obi-Wan forced a smile and led the way out the door.</p><p>As they navigated through the dark common room, Obi-Wan noticed the way Anakin’s gaze lingered at the slightly cracked door that led to Ahsoka’s quarters. The energy between them shifted immediately, as if a cold wind had blown through the room and taken Anakin’s very soul with it.</p><p>As quickly as the cold came, Obi-Wan felt a strong push against the Force. It was <em> Anakin </em> . Willing his own mind to move on, to forget. As Obi-Wan had done so many times before, with Qui-Gon, with Satine, and ultimately with Ahsoka. How cruel that he couldn’t teach his padawan one of the most practical lessons of all: there <em> is </em> no forgetting those we love.</p><p>Caring was dangerous business and Obi-Wan regretted that he still hadn’t quite figured it out.</p><p>As the two moved into the main temple hallway, Obi-Wan allowed himself a real glance at his former student. His usual swagger was replaced with a trampled sort of gait, as if he was sludging through Nemoidian deep sands. The circles under his eyes looked even darker than the last time Obi-Wan had seen him, only a few rotations ago. It was worrying that someone able to sleep in the middle of the day could look as if he hadn’t slept in several revolutions.</p><p>“May I ask you a question?”</p><p>“Are you actually giving me a choice?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Go ahead,” Anakin sighed.</p><p>“Why <em> were </em> you sleeping in the middle of the day?”</p><p>The energy around Anakin shifted, bearing down on Obi-Wan’s shoulders like small needles. How did Anakin walk around with this every day? It overwhelmed Obi-Wan to share in it for even a moment through their bond, but he’d gladly take it all on forever if his padawan would let him.</p><p>“I told you. Resting.” Anakin shrugged, his pace quickening.</p><p>“Anakin,” sighed Obi-Wan. </p><p>To Obi-Wan’s surprise, the younger Jedi didn’t dig his heels in. His shoulders dropped and he quietly said, “Initiate trials are today.”</p><p>Oh.</p><p>
  <em> Oh. </em>
</p><p>“Anakin, I’m--”</p><p>Anakin shook his head furiously. “Don’t.”</p><p>“I didn’t know that was today.”</p><p>“Well, I guess you missed that council meeting,” Anakin bit off.</p><p>Obi-Wan missed a step, but recovered his balance. “I don’t--”</p><p>Anakin stopped abruptly and Obi-Wan almost slammed into him. “They told me to consider <em> attending</em>.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“The <em> council </em> ,” spat Anakin. “Master Mundi said it may be in my best interest to consider attending the trials and taking on a <em> new padawan</em>.”</p><p>Obi-Wan blinked. That hadn’t been mentioned to him at <em> all </em>. </p><p>“I’m sure it was a misunderstanding.”</p><p>“It wasn’t a <em> misunderstanding</em>, Obi-Wan,” Anakin barked, earning a few looks from a nearby group of younglings. “They want me to take on a new padawan, go about my life, and just <em> forget about her</em>.”</p><p>This time, Obi-Wan had to physically catch himself as he stumbled. It was all too familiar and all too <em> much</em>. </p><p>A younger Obi-Wan, pulled out of a group meditation to talk with his thirteen-year-old padawan, who had been sent out of class for disruption.</p><p>
  <em> “I didn’t start an uprising, Master,” he’d argued, huffing in frustration. Obi-Wan had tried to stop his pacing with a gentle hand on his shoulder, but Anakin had jerked it off.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “How can we be keepers of the peace if we turn a blind eye to injustice?” he had demanded instead. Obi-Wan had floundered over his words, trying to talk Anakin off this proverbial cliff he worked himself onto.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Anakin--” </em>
</p><p><em> “No!” the padawan had shouted. “She’s still there! A slave! And we can’t do </em>anything?!<em> That’s complete bullshit!” </em></p><p>
  <em> “Anakin, lower your voice.” </em>
</p><p><em> “They want me to forget about her, but I can’t, Master! She’s my mom and she’s suffering and I can help her but </em>they won’t let me!<em>"</em></p><p>Obi-Wan was jerked back to the present with Anakin’s groan of frustration. “I can’t tell if they actually don’t have a concept of how to care for people or if they’re just that full of shit.”</p><p>“The council is confident of Ahsoka’s safety. They--”</p><p>Anakin’s head snapped toward Obi-Wan. “Have you heard from her?” he asked quickly, his voice tinged with hope that twisted Obi-Wan’s heart. </p><p>“No, we...we haven’t had any contact,” said Obi-Wan quietly, his gaze to the floor. He missed her, too.</p><p>“Then, <em> how </em> can you be sure?” snapped Anakin, immediately becoming angry again. “And don’t use ‘<em>they’ </em> as if you aren’t a <em> part of them</em>,” he finished bitterly.</p><p>Obi-Wan faltered. He didn’t have an answer. Truthfully, he wasn’t completely convinced the council had been right about <em> several things </em> lately, but they were all doing the best they could in the midst of a Republic that felt like it was crumbling more and more every day.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” was all he could offer.</p><p>This drained some of the fight from Anakin and he resumed walking. Obi-Wan followed, staying a cautious step behind. They made their way out into the courtyard, silently.</p><p>The weight between them was heavy.</p><p>“Anakin,” Obi-Wan began, deciding there wouldn’t be such a thing as a <em> good time </em> to have this conversation, “speaking of the council...I wanted to--”</p><p>“Hang on,” Anakin held up a hand. He closed his eyes. “Do you smell that?”</p><p>Obi-Wan blinked in confusion. “What?”</p><p>“Nubian honeysuckle.” Anakin’s eyes stayed closed and his face evened out. The lines that defined his frustration and exhaustion seemed to disappear, leaving behind a man that Obi-Wan dearly <em> missed</em>.</p><p>“The first bloom of the season,” said Anakin softly, more to himself than to Obi-Wan. “It’s Padme’s favourite.”</p><p>Something in Obi-Wan flared at that, a reminder of all the council meetings he’d been told to warn his padawan against attachment. Looking at the young Jedi beside him, eyes closed in a state of peace Obi-Wan hadn’t seen on him in <em> years </em> , Obi-Wan couldn’t find it in his heart to <em> care </em> about Anakin’s worrisome relationship with the senator.</p><p>“What’s your favourite smell, Obi-Wan?”</p><p>He startled at that. The abrupt change in Anakin’s mood was something he should be used to by now. “I...I’ve never thought about it.”</p><p>Anakin opened his eyes. “Well, think about it,” he said matter-of-factly. “Everyone needs a favourite of everything. Food, smell, music.”</p><p><em> Favourite</em>. It wasn’t a common practice among Jedi to discuss preference as it could lead to selfishness, but it wasn’t strictly <em> against </em> the code.</p><p>Obi-Wan had never considered it before.</p><p>“I suppose I like the smell of the ocean,” he shrugged, saying the first thing he thought of.</p><p>“That’s a good one,” Anakin nodded. “Mine is the smell of the sky right after a lightning storm.”</p><p>It had been a long time since Anakin had asked him a question that wasn’t about tactics or strategy. It had been even longer since nine-year-old Anakin and he had been stranded in deep space with no power and no fuel for an entire rotation waiting for a pick-up and Anakin had asked Obi-Wan a series of at least 75 questions in rapid fire. </p><p>Brand-new-to-being-a-master Obi-Wan had wanted to pull his hair out then, but his chest <em> ached </em> for those days now.</p><p>“You were saying something earlier. About the council.” Anakin turned fully toward Obi-Wan, his arms crossed in anticipation.</p><p>Obi-Wan opened his mouth to continue, but closed it.</p><p>Anakin’s arms tucked into the sleeves of his robe easily and Obi-Wan noticed the way they rode up his arms a bit. This was an older robe, evidently--one that had been issued to Anakin before his most recent growth spurt in the past couple years. </p><p>Obi-Wan missed the days of Anakin wearing robes too <em> big </em> for him, in the hopes that requesting a larger size would somehow make him <em> become </em> that size.</p><p>“Obi-Wan?”</p><p>Obi-Wan shook his head, refocusing on the Jedi in front of him.</p><p>“The council…?”</p><p>“Oh. Right.” Obi-Wan bit the inside of his mouth and pushed down the clawing throngs of responsibility. “I honestly don’t remember what I was going to say.”</p><p>Anakin studied his former master for a moment and then broke out into a half-smirk. “You <em> are </em> getting old.”</p><p>The council would have strong words for him tomorrow morning, no doubt. They’d accuse Obi-Wan of letting his feelings cloud his judgement, <em> again</em>. And they’d be right. The issue wouldn’t be dropped. They wouldn’t get off Obi-Wan’s back until he had talked to Anakin about the special assignment with the Chancellor. </p><p>Looking at the man beside him, though, Obi-Wan realised he truly only had one <em> favourite. </em></p><p>The council could wait.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thank you for reading, as always!! kudos and comments are always appreciated!</p><p>tumblr: giggles-and-freckles</p></blockquote></div></div>
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